Far-right, anti-immigration riots persist in UK after stabbing: NPR

In recent days, the UK has been rocked by widespread riots led by hundreds of far-right protesters.

Violent protests began overnight Tuesday after a fatal stabbing that killed three young girls and injured several others at a children’s dance and yoga class in northwest England.

The attack sparked Islamophobic and anti-immigration sentiment in the UK, leading to hundreds of arrests, dozens of officers injured, and several buildings damaged – including a mosque and a hotel known to have housed asylum seekers.

The riots entered their sixth day on Sunday and showed no signs of abating. Here’s what you need to know:

What caused the riots

The riots come after a stabbing rampage on July 29 at a Taylor Swift-themed dance and yoga class in Southport, England.

Three girls — Bebe King, 6; Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7; and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9 – were killed and another 10 injured, including eight children and two adults. Police arrested a 17-year-old man at the scene, but initially withheld his name because the suspect was under 18.

It was then that false rumors began to spread online, claiming that an asylum seeker was behind the attack. (The suspect, named publicly by police on Thursday as Axel Rudakubana, was born in Wales.)

On Tuesday night, rioters stormed the streets in Southport, targeting a local mosque. In a statement, the Southport Mosque he said members of his congregation locked themselves inside while individuals threw petrol bombs and bricks at the building. According to Merseyside Police, 53 officers were involved hurt in clashes with the demonstrators.

What cities and towns were affected

Beyond Southport, demonstrations broke out across England, including Manchester, Hartlepool, Liverpool, Bristol and London, as well as the capital of Northern Ireland, Belfast, in the following days.

On Sunday, around 700 rioters surrounded a Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham – which is known to host asylum seekers. Windows were broken and burning trash was thrown at the building, he said South Yorkshire Police.

In Belfast, a cafe, a supermarket and several cars were set on fire after Saturday night’s protests, The Irish Times reported.

“People attacked this place, racism against Islam and Muslims, especially the Muslim community,” the supermarket manager told the newspaper.

In Whitehall, near the gates of Downing Street, 111 people were arrested on Wednesday evening. Five officers were injured by bottles and other objects thrown at them, while some were physically attacked, according to the Metropolitan Police Service.

How the UK is responding to the protests

On Sunday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the riots “far-right thuggery,” adding that the riots would not be tolerated.

“This is not a protest,” Starmer said X. “It is organized, violent, thuggery and has no place on our streets or online.”

British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said X that police forces have their full support in the importance of “the strongest possible punishments” for rioters, including jail time and travel bans.

Amidst the turmoil, there have also been examples of solidarity and generosity in the UK

In Southport, where the riots began, Merseyside police he said residents helped clean the streets and distributed free food a day after the protest.

And during the past week, several landmarks in England – including Downing Street – lit up in a pink hue to show their continued support for the families and community of Southport after the stabbing attack.